Still, Sheryl was not about to harass Lionel’s only son–children should not be made to suffer for their parents‘ crimes.
Moreover, Lionel had since passed away, and all grief and hate departed with him.
“I know. You should get some rest,” Sheryl told Ricky.
“Okay. Call me anytime you need me,” Ricky replied.
Sheryl nodded, and the boy headed upstairs as she stayed at the living room couch.
She could not sleep–her daughter would not be coerced if she had protected Tommy!
Henry had yet to return when Abigail arrived at Althoff Manor, so she waited in the living room for a while.
The old man only returned when it was almost sunrise, and Abigail was about to go up and greet him when she saw Moneypenny being shepherded into the manor.
He extended a hand, and Abigail took it to help keep him steady.
“It’s not Ian–I’ve checked,” he said.
The fact was comforting to him.
After all, he had been fearful that Ian’s family was involved. If they did, not even Henry himself could shield them from Diarmuid’s wrath.
“By the way, do you know a man named Harvey Gooding?” he asked.
Abigail nodded. “Yes. He has beef with Diarmuid.”
“Ah. So he’s after Diarmuid?” Henry asked.
“I don’t know,” Abigail replied.
In spite of everything that Harvey told her, she really had no idea what he was up to.
Henry breathed a long sigh and said feebly, “This is on me too. I should’ve noticed that Moneypenny was acting weird, and none of this would have happened.”
Abigail asked, “So he was bribed?”
he
Henry shook his head. “I trust that man, especially after he served me so many years–no, can’t be bribed. We found out that Harvey abducted his wife and coerced him into advising me so that I finalize your divorce with Diarmuid. Now that Harvey has abducted your child as well and forced you to marry him… I have to ask, what’s your plan here?”
Right now, Abigail did not want anything to do with the Althoffs, and a divorce suited her fine.
“You’re unhappy with me, and Diarmuid is interested in Kathy York. There’s no need for me to stay here–as for my child, I’ll save him on my own.”
Her tone was calm, devoid of rage or indignation.
Having made up her mind, she was certainly relieved.
“But isn’t the child Diarmuid’s too? He is a Althoff, and therefore he’ll never be abandoned.”
“Diarmuid is very much alive, and he can give you as many great–grandchildren as you want. But Tommy is my baby.”
Henry frowned then. “Hold on… Diarmuid has taken a liking to Kathy York?”
Abigail smiled. “He’s probably head over heels for her, too–he gave her his most valued possession, after all.”
“What?”
“Remember the chest I dropped, which left him furious?” she calmly said. “He gave that to Kathy York–just goes to show how much he loves her now.”
Right now, her mood was serene. Even if she did feel a little unpleasant, she refused to show it. Henry glanced at Moneypenny just then, and came to a realization.
Although Diarmuid had seen through his intentions to make him take a liking to Kathy, Diarmuid had failed to see that they had arranged for Kathy to recognize the silver crucifix as well.
“Abigail…”
“Anyway, I just came to tell you that I know where Tommy is, and I won’t breathe a word on whatever you told me not to say. Likewise, I hope you’ll keep Tommy a secret from Diarmuid–I won’t impose now that he has a new lover. Feign ignorance, or take it to your grave!”
Henry frowned. “Tommy is a child of our family. How could I feign ignorance?”
“Then what do you want?” Abigail asked in retort.
That silenced Henry for a while.
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier that your child is Diarmuid’s?” he eventually asked. “I would never have kept Kathy away from Diarmuid if you did…”
“I was lying. Diarmuid is a perfect match for Kathy York,” she said, and sharply changed her tone.” What are you going to do with Moneypenny now?”
Henry, however, was studying Abigail–he was sure that she was not lying, since she was confident enough to let him have Tommy go through a paternity test.
But she was denying it now… could it mean that it irked her that Diarmuid was with Kathy now?
Moneypenny’s influence had certainly pulled the wool over his eyes, confirming Diarmuid and Abigail’s divorce.
“Abigail, please know that you can come to me if you ever need my help. As for Moneypenny, he’s chosen to return even if he could have escaped, and has been very frank with me since- my punishment would therefore be light, but what do you think?”
Abigail would naturally not tell Henry what to do. She certainly had grievance against Moneypenny, but he had been coerced like herself, and holding it against him would just make her a petty person.
It would not help her out of her current dilemma either.
“Just deal with him however you see fit. I’m leaving.”
As she strode out of the manor, Henry called out, “I was wrong about you.”
But such words did not matter to her now–she waved, gesturing that she did not mind it, and stepped out of the front door.
She wanted to return to Bernstein Mansion, but remembered that she still had some possessions left at Diarmuid’s mansion, so she headed there instead.
When she entered, she found a suitcase placed right outside the door.
Mrs. Watson did not throw her things all over the place, and instead packed everything tidily into that suitcase.
When she saw Abigail return, she stepped out of the mansion and greeted her. “Mrs. Althoff…”
She appeared hesitant to speak, and seeing that, Abigail asked, “My stuff is inside, right?”
Mrs. Watson sighed and nodded.
“Diarmuid told you to do this?” Abigail knew how nice Mrs. Watson was to her–she would never throw away her belongings.
Mrs. Watson nodded again.
Abigail sneered that man was truly heartless, and changed lovers as quickly as he changed clothes!
He was just forcing himself on her last night, and he was now chasing her out of the mansion.
She reared her head and said quietly, “I understand.”
“Mrs. Althoff… What is it this time?” Mrs. Watson finally asked.
“Mrs. Watson, don’t you think you’re mistaken? I’m no longer Mrs. Althoff.”
Kathy was strutting as she walked toward them, her heels clicking in her wake as she passed a lunchbox to Mrs. Watson. “I’ve made this for Diarmuid. Take it inside.”
When Mrs. Watson did not take it, she smiled, “I’ll be the lady of this house soon, Mrs. Watson. How will we get along when you’re being this hostile now?”
Mrs. Watson reluctantly took the lunchbox then, her face falling as she turned and headed inside the mansion.
Once she left, Kathy’s smile faded. Glancing at the suitcase lined up against the wall, she then turned to Abigail. “I hope you never show up around Diarmuid after you leave. He must have gotten sick of you and told Mrs. Watson to throw away your things, didn’t he?”
Her words actually left Abigail agitated.
Yes, Diarmuid must have gotten sick of her and told Mrs. Watson to throw away her things, did he not?
She reared her head with an impeccable smile just then. “I don’t think I’ll be the last person thrown out of here, though. I hope you’ll prove to be an evergreen and never get thrown out, Ms. York.”
Kathy’s face fell. “Are you trying to jinx me?”
“I’m not, but I should tell you that men are prone to change. Did you think he won’t dump you just because he dumped me? What goes around comes around, y’know.”
With that, Abigail giggled and pulled her suitcase along to the gates.
Kathy bit her lip. “What are you getting smug about?! You’re being dumped!”
Abigail was not bothered to respond–even if Kathy thought that she had hit the jackpot, she would end up like Abigail with a volatile man like Diarmuid.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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